Display package having sliding tray



June 20, 1967 H. RIESTENBERG 3,326,370

DISPLAY PACKAGE HAVING SLIDING TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1965FIG. 2

FIG.

FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

EUGENE H. RIESTENBER G fa/z ce J Attorneys June 20, 1967 H. FlESTENBERG3,326,370

DISPLAY PACKAGE HAVING SLIDING TRAY Filed May 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG. 7

FIG. 4

INVENTOR. EUGENE H. RIESTENBERG United States Patent ration of OhioFiled May 20, 1965, Ser. No. 457,426 16 Claims. (Cl. 206-78) Thisinvention relates to packages for articles. More particularly, thisinvention relates to a display package having a transparent tray forholding articles.

A convenient device for displaying articles for sale is the so-calledblister pack or package in which articles are held in a transparenttray. An object of this invention is to provide such a package in whichthe transparent tray is held in a paperboard backing card and in whichthe tray can be slid between a closed position and an open position atwhich access is provided to the contents of the tray.

A further object of this invention is to provide a package of this typein which the card is constructed to engage the tray when in openposition and to prevent inadvertent separation of the card and tray.

A further object of this invention is to provide a package of this typein which the tray is rectangular and is engaged by flanges of the cardon three sides of the tray which overlie flanges of the tray to hold thetray in position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a package of this typein which two of the flanges have free ends which project away from amain portion of the card so that the tray can readily be insertedbetween the flanges and the main portion of the card while otherportions of the flanges are parallel to and closely spaced from the mainportion of the card to firmly hold the flanges of the tray.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art to which this invention pertain from the followingdetailed description, and the drawings, in which:

' FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a package constructed inaccordance with an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 22 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 33 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation of the package illustrated in FIG. 1,the package being shown in partially open position, portions of the cardand tray thereof being broken away to reveal interior construction, thetray being shown in open position in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank from which the card portion of thepackage is formed;

FIG. 6 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 66 inFIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 7-7in FIG. 5.

In the following detailed description, and the drawings, like referencecharacters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive is shown a package which includes atransparent tray 10 and a backing card 12. The tray 10 as shown in FIGS.2 and 3, is of dish-shape having a bottom 13, side walls 14 and 16 (FIG.2) and end walls 17 and 18 (FIG. 3). A flange 19 extends outwardly fromfree edges of the walls. The outer edge of the flange 19 issubstantially rectangular in shape, corners being rounded to eliminatesharp points.

The backing card 12 is formed from a blank of paperboard or the likeshown in FIG. 5. The card includes a central panel 21, an inner panel 22hinged to the central panel 21 along a line of perforations 23, and anupper 3,325,379 Patented June 20, 1967 central panel 24, hinged to asubstantially trapezoid stop section 25 of the central panel 21 alongscore lines 26 and 27. Upper backing panels 28 and 29 are hinged to theupper central panel 24 along score lines 31 and 32, respectively. Sidebacking panels 33 and 34 are hinged to the upper backing panels 28 and29 along score lines 36 and 37, respectively. The side backing panel 33is also hinged to the central panel 21 along a line which includes afirst score portion 38, a half-cut portion 39, and a second scoreportion 41. Similarly, the side backing panel 34 is hinged to thecentral panel 21 along a line which includes a first score portion 42, ahalf-cut portion 43 and a second score portion 44. As shown in FIG. 6,each score line can comprise a section 45 displaced from the plane of abody 46 of the card to provide an elongated narrow area of weakeningwhich permits, but provides substantial resistance to, folding. As shownin FIG. 7, the half-cut portion includes a slit 47, which extendsapproximately one-half the thickness of the body 46 to form a line ofweakening which has substantially less resistance to folding than thescore lines.

The central panel 21 is cut away centrally at 50 to form an opening toreceive the tray. Slots 48 and 49 are formed in the central panel 21which separate the stopsection 25 from ends of side flanges 52 and 53 ofthe central panel. In addition, the central panel 21 includes a crossflange 54 connecting ends of the side flanges 52 and 53 remote from thelines of cut 48 and 49.

The upper central panel 24 is provided with a slot 56 for receiving asupport for the package.

Between the score lines 26 and 27, a U-shaped line of cut 57 separatesthe upper central panel 24 from the stopsection 25 to form a tab 58.

When the package is assembled, the card is folded as shown in FIGS. 2and 3 with the inner panel 22 being folded inwardly behind the centralpanel 21 and the side backing panels 33 and 34 being folded intoparallelism therebehind. The side backing panels 33 and 34 are connectedtogether as by adhesive indicated by stippling at 61 in FIG. 5. Inaddition, the upper backing panels 28 and 29 are connected together asby adhesive indicated at 62. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, edge portions ofthe backing panels overlap in face-to-face relation.

As the side and upper backing panels of the card are folded together,free edges of the side flanges 52 and 53 fold away from the rest of thecard in the manner that the flange 52 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 so thatthe flange 19 of the tray 10 can readily be inserted between the flanges52 and 53 and the stop-section 25 to assemble the package.

When the card is assembled and the tray 10 has been moved to fullyclosed position, as shown in FIG. 1, the tab 58 can be bent over theflange 19 of the tray as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to lock the tray inposition.

When the contents of the tray are to be made available, the package isturned to the position shown in FIG. 4 with the tray 10 down, and theupper central panel 24 is folded backwardly to free the tab 58 from thetray 10. Then the tray can he slid outwardly to the position shown at10a in dot-dash lines in FIG. 4 to render the contents of the trayaccessible. At this position, the stop-section 25 is engaged by the wall16 of tthe tray so that the tray is held against separation from thecard. When the package is to be closed, the tray can be slid back to theFIG. 1 position and again locked in position by the tab 58.

The package construction illustrated in the drawings and described aboveis subject to structural modification without departing from the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. A package which comprises a one-piece paperboard :ard comprising acentral panel having a central opening, :he central panel including apair of flanges along oppo- ;ite;sides of the opening, each of saidflanges having a free end, a side backing panel hinged to the centralpanel along each of said pair of flanges, the hinges being re- ;istantto folding adjacent the free ends of the flanges, means for holding theside backing panels in substantial parallelism underlying the centralpanel with the free ends at the flanges spaced therefrom, and adish-shaped tray having a peripheral flange-received under the flangesof the central panel in sliding relation therewith.

2. A package which comprises a one-piece paperboard :ard comprising acentral panel having a central opening, the central panel includingflanges along three sides of the opening, a pair of said flanges havingends closed by the third flange, said pair of said flanges having freeends, a side backing panel hinged to the central panel along each ofsaid pair of flanges, the hinges being resistant to folding adjacent thefree ends of the flanges, means for holding the side backing panels insubstantial parallelism underlying the central panel with the free endsof the flanges spaced therefrom, and a dish-shaped tray having aperipheral flange received under the flanges of the central panel insliding relation therewith.

3. A package which comprises a one-piece paperboard card comprising acentral panel having a central opening, the central panel including apair of flanges along opposite sides of the opening, each of saidflanges having a closed end and a free end, a side backing panel hingedto the central panel along each of said pair of flanges, the hingesbeing resistant to turning adjacent the free ends of the flanges, meansfor holding the side backing panels in substantial parallelismunderlying the central panel with the free ends of the flanges spacedtherefrom, an upper panel hinged to the central panel adjacent the freeends of the flanges, the central panel including a stop sectionintermediate the free ends of the flanges, and a dish-shaped tray havinga peripheral flange received under the flanges of the central panel insliding relation therewith.

4. A package which comprises a one-piece paperboard card comprising acentral panel having a central opening, the central panel including apair of flanges along opposite sides of the opening, each of saidflanges having a closed end and a free end, a side backing panel hingedto the central panel along each of said pair of flanges, the hingesbeing resistant to turning adjacent the free ends of the flanges, meansfor holding the side backing panels in substantial parallelismunderlying the central panel with the free ends of the flanges spacedtherefrom, an upper panel hinged to the central panel adjacent the freeends of the flanges, the central panel including a stop sectionintermediate the free ends of the flanges, and a dish-shaped tray havinga peripheral flange received under the flanges of the central panelinsliding relation therewith, the upper panel having a tab sectionengageable with the flange of the tray to lock the tray in a closedposition, the upper panel and the tab being foldable together to releasethe tray for sliding to an open position, the stop flange engaging thetray when in open position to hold the tray and card in assembledrelation.

5. A package which comprises a one-piece paperboard card comprising acentral panel having a central opening, the central panel including apair of flanges along opposite sides of the opening, each of saidflanges having a closed end and a free end, a side backing panel hingedto the central panel along each of said pair of flanges, the hingesbeing resistant to turning adjacent the free ends of the flanges, aninner panel hinged to the central panel adjacent the closed ends of theflanges, means for holding the side backing panels in substantialparallelism underlying the central panel with the free ends of theflanges spaced therefrom with the inner panel between the side backingpanels and the central panel, an upper panel hinged to the central paneladjacent the free ends of the flanges, the central panel including astop section'intermediate the free ends of the flanges, and adish-shaped tray having a peripheral flange received under the flangesof the central panel in sliding relation therewith, the upper panelhaving a tab section engageable with the flange of the tray to lock thetray in a closed position, the upper panel and the tab being foldabletogether to release the tray for sliding to an open position, the stopflange engaging the tray when in open position to hold the tray and cardin assembled relation.

6. A package which comprises a one-piece paperboard card comprising acentral panel having a central opening, the central panel includingflanges along three sides of the opening, a pair of said flanges havingends closed by the third flange, said pair of said flanges having freeends,

a side backing panel hinged to the central panel along each of said pairof flanges, the hinges :being resistant to turning adjacent the freeends of the flanges, an inner panel hinged to the central panel alongthe third flange, means for holding the side backing panels inface-to-face engagement underlying the central panel with the free endsof the flanges of said pair spaced therefrom and with the inner panelbetween the side backing panels and the central panel, an upper centralpanel hinged to the central panel adjacent the free ends of the flangesof said pair, the central panel including a stop section intermediatethe free ends of the flanges of said pair, an upper backing flangehinged to each side backing flange and to the upper central panel, and adish-shaped tray having a peripheral flange received under the flangesof the central panel in sliding relation therewith, the upper panelhaving a tab section engageable with the flange of the tray to lock thetray in a closed position, the upper panel and the tab being foldabletogether to release the tray for sliding to an open position, the stopflange engaging the tray when in open position to hold the tray and cardin assembled relation.

7. A one-piece paperboard card comprising a central panel having acentral opening, the central panel including a pair of parallel flangesalong opposite sides of the opening, each of said flanges having a freeend, a side backing panel hinged to the central panel along each of saidpair of flanges, the hinges being resistant to folding adjacent the freeends of the flanges, and means holding the side backing panels insubstantial parallelism underlying the central panel for positioning thefree ends of the flanges spaced therefrom for receiving a peripheralflange of a tray member under the flanges of the central panel insliding relation therewith.

8. A one-piece paperboard card comprising a central panel having acentral opening, the central panel including flanges along three sidesof the opening, a pair of said flanges being parallel and having endsclosed by the third flange, said pair of said flanges having free ends,a side backing panel hinged to the central panel along each of said pairof flanges, the hinges being resistant to folding adjacent the free endsof the flanges, and means holding the side backing panels in substantialparallelism underlying the central panel for positioning the free endsof the flanges spaced therefrom for receiving a peripheral flange of atray member under the flanges of the central panel in sliding relationtherewith.

9. A one-piece paperboard card comprising a central panel having acentral opening, the central panel including a pair of parallel flangesalong opposite sides of the opening, each of said flanges having aclosed end and a free end, a side backing panel hinged to the centralpanel along each of said pair of flanges, the hinges being resistant toturning adjacent the free ends of the flanges, means holding the sidebacking panels in substantial parallelism underlying the central panelfor positioning the free ends of the flanges spaced therefrom forreceiving a peripheral flange of a dish-shaped tray in sliding relationto the central panel, and an upper panel hinged to the central paneladjacent the free ends of the flanges, the central panel including astop section within said opening intermediate the free ends of theflanges, the stop section being canted to project its free end to a trayintercepting position spaced further from and on the same side of thecentral panel as the free ends of the flanges by folding the upper panelto a position in which it projects substantially oppositely from thecentral panel.

10. A one-piece paperboard card comprising a central panel having acentral opening, the central panel including a pair of parallel flangesalong opposite sides of the opening, each of said flanges having aclosed end and a free end, a side backing panel hinged to the centralpanel along each of said pair of flanges, the hinges being resistant toturning adjacent the free ends of the flanges, means holding the sidebacking panels in substantial parallelism underlying the central panelfor positioning the free ends of the flanges spaced therefrom, an upperpanel hinged to the central panel adjacent the free ends of the flanges,the central panel including a stop section within said openingintermediate the free ends of the flanges, the upper panel having a tabsection adapted to engage a flange of a tray to lock the tray in aclosed position, the upper panel with the tab being foldable together torelease the tray for sliding to an open position, the stop sectionengaging the tray when in open position to hold the tray and card inassembled relation.

11. A one-piece paperboard card comprising a central panel having acentral opening, the central panel including a pair of parallel flangesalong opposite sides of the opening, each of said flanges having aclosed end and a free end, a side backing panel hinged to the centralpanel along each of said pair of flanges, the hinges being resistant toturning adjacent the free ends and the flanges, an inner panel hinged tothe central panel adjacent the closed ends of the flanges, means holdingthe side backing panels in substantial parallelism underlying thecentral panel with the free ends of the flanges spaced therefrom withthe inner panel between the side backing panels and the central panel,an upper panel hinged to the central panel adjacent the free ends of theflanges, the central panel including a stop section within said openingintermediate the free ends of the flanges, the upper panel having a tabsection adapted to engage a flange of a tray to lock the tray in aclosed position, the upper panel with the tab being foldable together torelease the tray for sliding to an open position, the stop sectionengaging the tray when in open position to hold the tray and card inassembled relation.

12. A one-piece paperboard card comprising a central panel having acentral opening, the central panel including flanges along three sidesof the opening, a pair of said flanges being parallel and having endsclosed by the third flange, said pair of said flanges having free ends,a side backing panel hinged to the central panel along each of said pairof flanges, the hinges being resistant to turning adjacent the free endsof the flanges, an inner panel hinged to the central panel along thethird flange, means holding the side backing panels in face-to-faceengagement underlying the central panel for positioning the free ends ofthe flanges of the pair spaced therefrom and with the inner panelbetween the side backing panels and the central panel, an upper centralpanel hinged to the central panel adjacent the free ends 'of the flangesof said pair, the central panel including a stop section within saidopening inter-mediate the free ends of the flanges of said pair, anupper backing flange hinged to each side backing flange and to the uppercentral panel, the upper panel having a tab section adapted to engage aflange of a tray to lock the tray in a closed position, the upper panelwith the tab being 'foldable together to release the tray for sliding toan open position, the stop section engaging the tray when in openposition to hold the tray and card in assembled relation.

13. A packaging card blank which comprises a central panel having acentral opening, the central panel including a pair of flanges alongopposite sides of the opening, each of said flanges having a free end,and a side backing panel hinged to the central panel along each of saidpair of flanges, the hinges being resistant to folding adjacent the freeends of the flanges, the side backing panels being foldable intosubstantial parallelism underlying the central panel with the free endsof the flanges spaced therefrom.

14. A packaging card blank comprising a central panel having a centralopening, the central panel including a pair of parallel flanges alongopposite sides of the opening, each of said flanges having a closed endand a free, a side backing panel hinged to the central panel along eachof said pair of flanges, the hinges being resistant to turning adjacentthe free ends of the flanges, the side backing panels being foldableinto and securable in substantial parallelism underlying the centralpanel with the free ends of the flanges spaced therefrom, an upper panelhinged to the central panel adjacent the free ends of the flanges, thecentral panel including a stop section within said opening intermediatethe free ends of the flanges, the upper panel having a tab sectionadapted to engage a flange of a tray.

15. A method of forming a paperboard card adapted to receive an articlehaving an outwardly directed rim which comprises forming a package blankwhich includes a central panel having a central opening, the centralpanel including a pair of flanges along opposite sides of the opening,each of said flanges having a free end, opposite ends of the flangesbeing restrained, and a side backing panel hinged to the central panelalong each of said pair of flanges, the hinges being resistant tofolding adjacent the free ends of the flanges, and folding the sidebacking panels into substantial parallelism underlying the central panelto cause the free ends of the flanges to advance away from the plane ofthe central panel into erected position for receiving the rim of thearticle.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein the side backing panels are attachedtogether when folded into substantial parallelism underlying the centralpanel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,568,625 9/1951 Harvey 206-782,813,624 11/1957 Phipps 206-78 2,975,889 3/1961 Brown 206-45343,061,091 10/1962 Wich-man 206-78 3,104,759 9/1963 Hansen 206-78 FOREIGNPATENTS 228,993 7/1960 Australia. 1,319,375 1/1963 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, ]R., Examiner.

1. A PACKAGE WHICH COMPRISES A ONE-PIECE PAPERBOARD CARD COMPRISING A CENTRAL PANEL HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING, THE CENTRAL PANEL INCLUDING A PAIR OF FLANGES ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE OPENING, EACH OF SAID FLANGES HAVING A FREE END, A SIDE BACKING PANEL HINGED TO THE CENTRAL PANEL ALONG EACH OF SAID PAIR OF FLANGES, THE HINGES BEING RESISTANT TO FOLDING ADJACENT THE FREE ENDS OF THE FLANGES, MEANS FOR HOLDING THE SIDE BACKING PANELS IN SUBSTANTIAL PARALLELISM UNDERLYING THE CENTRAL PANEL WITH THE FREE ENDS OF THE FLANGES SPACED THEREFROM, AND A DISH-SHAPED TRAY HAVING A PERIPHERAL FLANGE RECEIVED UNDER THE FLANGES OF THE CENTRAL PANEL IN SLIDING RELATION THEREWITH. 